Tension device



May 22, 1923.

1,456,263 H. E. VAN NEss TENSION DEVICE Filed July 20. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATT NEY .Maly 22, 1923.

H. E.F VAN NESS TENSION DEVICE Filed July zo, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENT'oR Patented May 22, 1923.

UNITED rasata et C TENSION DEVICE.

Application led July 20, 1922.

To all whom` it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY E. VAN Ness, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county or' Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tension Devices, `fully described and represented in the4 following speciiication and the accom panying dra wings forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to tension devices and method ol' threading the same, and particularly to the type in which a drag or tension is applied to aI yarn, or the like, by drawing the material between an upper rotary tension member and a lower supporting member.

An object of the invention is to provide a tension device of this character which may be threaded quickly and easily.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which will cause a smooth even tension upon the yarn. y

In tension devices ot' the type in question which have heretofore been used, it has been necessary to position the yarn accurately at, or near, the lower edge ot the tension member in order to draw it under this member in threading a device. The operation of threading has in consequence required considerable care and time on the part of the operator.

A tension devicel constructed in accordance with .the present invention may be threaded by simply laying the yarn across the top of the device. The tension'member is so formed, and the yarn is so guided, that when the pull of a winding machine is applied to yarn laid across the top of the device the yarn is automatically positioned between the supporting member and the tension member.

Other features and advantages of the invention are hereinafter pointed out in connection with a detailed description of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tension device embodying the invention applied to a frame which may contain a yarn cleaner, showing the position in which the yarn is drawn across the device when a pull is first applied to the yam after threading the tension device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ot the tension Serial No. 576,249.

device and frame shown in Fig. 1 showing the yarn in the same position;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1

and 2 showing' the yarn in the position into which it is drawn as the pull on the yarn is continued Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing the iinal position into which the yarn is drawn by a pull applied to it;

F 1g. 7 is a rear end view oft the tension device vand frame shown in Figs. 1 to 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the tension device shown in Figs. 1 to 7;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section oi the device on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the ten@ sion member;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the weight discs;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a modified form ot tension device in which the supporting member :is-rotary; and

Fig. 13 is a side view, partly in section, of

the device shown in Fig.. 12.

The apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 toy 7 includes a rectangular `frame 10. The front end member 11 of the frame contains a recess 12 at its middle and the rear end member 13 contains a similar recess 14., The frame 10 is provided with cover plates 15, 16 whose inner edges are spaced apart to provide a slot 17 extending between the recesses 12 and 13. On the rear end member 13 is mounted a rear guide 1 8 which serves to draw a yarn down below the level of the bottom of the recess 14. The rear guide 18 may, it desired, be mounted upon the frame of a winding machine to which the frame 10 is attached, instead of upo'n the rear end member 13 of the frame 10, as shown.-

The frame 10 may contain elements adapted to clean a yarn drawn across the frame,

such as are shown in my co-pending appli-v Canon med Jun@ s, 1922', Serial No. 566,722, of which this application is a continuation in part. As, however, these elements form no part of the invention covered by the present application, they are not shown or described herein.

On the front end member 1.1 of the frame 10 is mounted a plate 20. The inner` end of this plate is bent to form an upward proj ection 21 which may be'screwed to theend member 11 of the frame. The projection 21 contains a central recess 22 registering with the recess l2. The upper surface of the plate 2O lies on a level with the bottoms of the recesses l2 and 14.

A stud 30 projects upwardly from the plate 20. The stud has a cylindrical shank 3l and is positioned so that this shank is tangential to the center line o' the recesses l2 and 14. The stud has at its top a flange or head 32.

A rotary tension member 40 is seated on the plate 2O about the stud 30. This tension member is cup-shaped and has a disc-shaped bottom 4l and a wide flaring flange 42 eX- tending outwardly and upwardly from the periphery of its bottom. rhe bottom 4l conN tains a central circular hole of sufficient size to pass over the head 32 ot the stud 30. As best seen in Fig. 9, the bottom 4l is curved upwardly so that its lower surface is slightly concave. rlhe flange 42 most desirably has the shape of a frustum of a cone, as shown. Its width is preferablv as creat or greater than the radius of the bottom 41. lVhen the tension member is seated on the plate 20, its flange 42 extends upwardly above the top of the stud 30.

The portion 25 of the plate 2O which is under the bottom 4l of the tension member 40 constitutes the supporting member ol" the tension device against which yarn is pressed by the tension member when the device is in operation. The portion 26 of the plate 2O which lies in front and at one side of the supporting` member 25 constitutes the front guide of the tension device. The front guide 26 contains a recess 27 whose inner end is located under the ange 42 ot the tension member and in a line passing through the centers ot the recesses l2 and 14 and tangential to the stud shank 3l. The outer ends of the front guide 26 at each side of the recess 27 may be turned up to form ears 28 to aid in placing a yarn in the recess 27 when the device is threaded. lt is important that the portions of the front guide 26 which lie, respectively, immediately in front of, and at the side ot', the supporting mem'- ber 25 have their upper surfaces at the same level as the upper surface ot the support-ing member 25. It is, however, not essential that the front guide and the supporting member be made of a single plate as illustrated in Figs. l to 9.

A plurality of weight discs 50, each containing a central hole 5l, are provided to vary the tension upon the yarn. Any desired number of these discs may be placed in the tension member 40 so that they rest upon its bottom 4l.

In order to prevent accidental removal of the rotary tension member, and in particular to prevent this member from flying off the stud 30 in case al large slub on the yarn enters under the bottom 4l, locking means are provided between the weight discs 50 and the head 82 of the stud 30. For this purpose, the head 32 of' the stud is made non-circular in outline and the central holes 5l of the weight discs 50 are given a similar non-circular outline. Consequently, the weight discs may be passed over the head of the stud when turned in one direction. After they tall down about the cylindrical shank of the stud, they soon become turned so that their non-circular openings do notregister with the head of the stud. Vhen, therefore, the tension member is thrown upward for any reason, the weight discs engage the head ot the stud and prevent the tension member from coming oil the stud.

The use and operation of the tension device which has been described is as follows: The device is threaded by laying a yarn A across the top ot it. To do this it is merely necessary to drop the yarn between the ears 28 ot the front guide and across the top of' the tension member 40, and to pass it through the rear guide 18. Vhen the yarn is thus dropped across the top of the device, it is slack, and consequently it may lie across any part of the top of the flange 42 of the tension member 40. As, however, the fiange 42 projects above the top of the stud 30, the yarn cannot catch on the stud. Consequently, when the pull of a winding or other machine is applied to the yarn to draw it in the direction indicated by the arrows in the drawing, the yarn is immediately drawn into the position shown in Figs. l and 2. lt should be noted that the yarn is guided through a point B at or near the inner end or" the recess 27 in the front guide and through a point C at the bottom of the recess 14. The point B is located in front of the tension member 40 and the supporting member 25 and at the level of the upper surfaceot' the supporting member 25. The point C is located at some distance behind the tension member and the supporting member and at level with the upper surface of the supporting member. The points B and C lie on a line crossing the tension and supporting members at one side of the axis of rotation of the tension member. This line lies on the same side ot the axis of the tension member as the side portion of the front guide 26. As the result, the yarn is drawn across the top of the tension member 40 at this side of the axis of the member. As the pull on the yarn continues, the yarn turns the tension member in a. clockwise direction looking from the top. As a result, the yarn is first brought into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and then slips off the upper edge of the flange 42 of the tension member and is guided by the under surface 0f the flange, and to some extent also by the flat surface of the front guide, so that it is drawn in between the bottom 4l of the tension member and the upper surface of the Cil supporting member until it occupies the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6. As the yarn is drawn forward after it has been bro-ught into this position, an even tension is applied to it bythe weight of the tension member 40, and the degree of this tension may be varied at will lby placing any desired number ofkv weight discs in the tension member. The fact that the bottom surface of the tension member is slightly concave has been found to add materially to the evenness of the tension. This is believed to be due to two reasons. The first is that when the device is in operation, the tension member et() is supported at only three points, all or' which are near the periphery of its bottom 4:1: lThe second is that the yarn is not drawn across any sharp edges, since the edges of the hole in the center of the bottomtl are above,'and out of contact with, the yarn.

Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate a modiiied embodiment of the invention in which the supporting member ofthe tension device is rotary. The tension device illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 includes a frame 2-0. 0n the upper side of the frame is a boss 23.L A stud 30 projects upwardly from this boss. The supporting member 25 oi the tension device is, in this case, separate from the frame 2O.l lt contains aL central holey surrounding the lower portion ofthe stud rests upon the boss 23, and is rotatable. A rotary cup-shaped tension member 40 similar to the tension member 4:0 is seated on the supporting member 25* about the stud 30. Its flange 42 extends upwardly above the top of the stud 30. The front guide 26 may be formed integral with the :trame 20 and provides a fiat surface at the level of the top of the supporting member 25 and extending around the front and one side of the supporting member. The iront guide 26 contains a recess 27 whose inner end eX- tends under the flange 42 of the rotary tension member 40. rThe front guide provides horizontal ears 28 at each side of a recess 27.

A rear guide 1S is mounted von theA rear portion of the frame 20. The rear guide is positioned and formed to direct the yarn through a point C located behind the tension and supporting members, on a. level withjthe upper surface of the supporting member, and on a line` passing through the inner end ot the recess 27 and crossing the tension and .supporting members at the same side of the axis of rotation of the tension member as the side portion of the front guide 26. V

The tension device just described operates in substantially the same manner as that first described. It may be threaded by merely dropping the yarn into the recess 27 and across the top of the iiange 4t2 of the tension member 40, and dra-wing it through the rear guide 18.

F rom the above description, it is apparent that the present invention provides a. tension device in which a yarn dropped across the top of the device is automatically introduced under the tension member as soon as a pull is applied to it. 'As it is believed this is a result which has never before been attained, it should be understood that the invention is by no means limited to the details of construction and` arrangement shown in the drawings. n

The tension device" may be used in connection with any sort of yarn, thread, cord, twine, or similar material. ln order to avoid unnecessary repetition, the word yarn is used in the specific-ation, and in the claims which follow, in generic sense and should be understood to include anyv type of yarn, thread, cord. or twine to which a tension is to be applied. y

lVhat-is claimed is:

1. `A tension device, comprising the combinatio-n ofa frame containing aligned recesses in its ends to permit the passage Aot the yarn longitudinally across the frame, a plate projecting outwardly from the front end of the frame at the level of the bottoms of said recesses, said plate containing in its l outer end an entrance recess aligned with the recesses in the frame, a stud projecting upwardly from said plate at one side of the center line oi. said recessesyand a. rotary tension member seated on said plate about said stud and having a disc-shaped bottom and a flaring flange projecting upwardly and outwardly from the periphery of the bottom and extending over'the inner end of said entrance recess and above the top of the trame.

2. A tension device, comprising a supporting member. a tension member rotatably mounted on said supporting member and having a disc-shaped bottom and a wide flaring ange extending outwardly and upwardly from the periphery of said bottom, a front guide providinga recess extending under the flange of the tension member and terminating outside the periphery of the bottom of the tension member, the device b'eing formed and arranged to leave the top of the tension member unobstructed so that a yarn may be dropped into said recess and across the top of the tension member, and means for guiding a yarn laid in said recess and across the top of the.` tension member througha point located behind the tension member and on a line passing through the end of said recess and crossing the tension member at one side of its aXis of rotation.

3. A tension device, comprising a supporting member, a stud projecting upwardly from said supporting'member and having a cylindrical shank and a non-circular head, a rotary cup having a central hole adapted to pass over said head, and a weight disc having a non-circular central hole adapted to pass over said head when turned in one direction.

et. ln a tension device, a 'rotary tension member having a circular bottom-and a flaring flange extending upwardly and outwardly from the periphery of said bottom and having the shape of an inverted truncated cone and having a width greater than the radius of the bottom. A

5. A tension device comprising a supporting member, a stud projecting upwardly from said supporting member, and a tension member having a circular bottom and a flaring flange extending upwardly and outwardly from the periphery of said bottom, said bottom having an approximately spherically curved concave lower surface and containing a central hole which fits loosely around said stud, a relatively narrow contacting peripheral edge being provided so that when a yarn is passed between the supporting member and the tension member the tension member is supported at three points all of which are located upon the relatively narrow peripheral edge formed at the juncture of the circular bottom with the flaring flange.

(3. A tension device, comprising a supporting member, a stud projecting upwardly from said supporting member, a tension member having a circular bottom containing acentral hole fitting loosely around said stud and a wide flaring tiange extending upwardly and outwardly from the periphery of said bottom, the device being formed and arranged to leave the top of the tension member unobstructed so that a yarn may be dropped across it, and means for guiding a yarn laid across the top of the tension member through two points located respectively in front and behind said members, on line crossing said members at one side of the axis of rotation of the tension member, and below the top of the tension member.

7. A tension device, comprising a supporting member, a tension member rotatably mounted on said supporting member and having sides which flare outwardly towards its top, the device being formed and arranged to leave the top of the tension member unobstructed so that a yarn may be dropped across it, and means for guiding a yarn laid across the top of the tension member through two points located respectively in front and behind said members and on a line crossing said members at'one side of the anis of rotation of the tension member.

8. A tension device, comprising a supporting member, a tension member rotatably mounted on said supporting member and having sides which flare youtwardly towards its top, the device being formed and arranged to leave the top of the tension member unobstructed so that a yarn may be dropped across it, and means for guiding a yarn laid across the top of the tension member through two points located respectively in front and behind said members, as low as the upper surface of the supporting member, and on a linecrossing said members at one side of the axis of'rotation of the tension member.

9. A tension device, comprising a supporting member, a tension member rotat# ably mounted on said supporting member and having sides flaring outwardly towards its top, means providing a guiding surface on a level with the surface of the supporting member and located at one side thereof, the device Vbeing formed and arranged to leave the top or the tension member unobstructed so that a yarn may be dropped across it, and means for guiding a yarn laid across the topv of the tension member through two points located respectively in front and behind said members, as low as the upper surface of the supporting member, and on a line crossing said members on thesame side ofthe axis of rotation of the tension member as said guiding surface.

10. A tension device, comprising a supporting member, a stud projecting upwardly from said supporting member, a tension member having a disc-shaped bottom seated on said supporting member and containing "central hole encircling said stud and ay flaring flange eX- tending upwardly'from the' periphery of its bottom and above the top of said stud, the device being formed and arranged to leave the top 0f said tension member unobstructed so that a yarn may be dropped across it, and means for guiding a yarn laid across said tension member through two points located respectively in front and behind said menr bers and on a line` crossing said members l at one side of the axis of rotation of the tension member'.

ll. A method of threading a tension de vice having 'an upper rotary tension member, which comprises laying a yarn across the top of the tension member, and drawing the yarn forwardly and downwardly along a line at one side of thek axis of the tension member so that the yarn rotates the tension member until it slips over the upper edge thereof. y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY E. VAN NESS.

lll) 

